A clock for teaching time-telling to children has a base with a circular recess containing twelve 30-degree removable wedges forming an annular disk. Each radial edge of each wedge has a semicircular opening that aligns with a complimentary semicircular opening on an adjacent wedge to form a hole that accepts a removable disk numbered from one to twelve. A long pointer and a short pointer pivot about a fastener in a center block, simulating clock hands. Scales denoting minutes, hours, roman numerals, and different color names are arrayed around the perimeter of the circular recess. Each wedge is colored to correspond to a different color name. A child may repeatedly assemble and disassemble the wedges and numbered disks to create a clock face and operate pointers to reinforce time-telling lessons.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A teaching clock, comprising: a base; a circle, the circle recessed within the base; a center block, the center block affixed to the base at the center of the circle; a long pointer and a short pointer, the long pointer and short pointer rotatably attached to the center block, the length of the long pointer defining a first radius from the point at which the long pointer is attached to the center block; a plurality of removable number blocks, each number block displaying a different number; and a plurality of removable color wedges, each color wedge displaying a different color, each color wedge having an aft ached knob, each color wedge capable of being positioned within the circle adjacent to another color wedge, each knob disposed at second radius from the point at which the long pointer is attached to the center block when the color wedge attached to the knob is positioned within the circle adjacent to another color wedge, the second radius being less than the first radius, each knob on a color wedge positioned within the circle thereby blocking the movement of the long pointer as the long pointer sweeps around the circle, each color wedge having at least a first and a second radial edge opening, each radial edge opening disposed to form a portion of a number block hole when at least two color wedges are adjacent, each number block hole sized and shaped to at least partially contain a number block.
2. A teaching clock as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a first scale, the first scale comprising arabic numerals disposed near and outside the perimeter of the circle.
3. A teaching clock as claimed in claim 1 , farther comprising a second scale, the second scale comprising roman numerals disposed near and inside the perimeter of the circle.
4. A teaching clock, comprising: a base; a circle, the circle recessed within the base; a center block, the center block affixed to the base at the center of the circle; a long pointer and a short pointer, the long pointer and short pointer rotatably attached to the center block, the length of the long pointer defining a first radius from the point at which the long pointer is attached to the center block; twelve removable number blocks, each number block displaying a different arabic numeral from one to twelve; twelve removable color wedges, each color wedge having an attached knob, each color wedge comprising a radial section spanning 30 degrees of arc of an annular disk and displaying a different color, each color wedge capable of being positioned within the circle adjacent to other color wedges to form an annular disk between the perimeter of the circle and the center block, each knob disposed at second radius from the point at which the long pointer is attached to the center block when the color wedge attached to the knob is positioned within the circle adjacent to another color wedge, the second radius being less than the first radius, each knob on a color wedge positioned within the circle thereby blocking the movement of the long pointer as the long pointer sweeps around the circle, each color wedge having a semicircular opening on each radial edge, each semicircular opening disposed to align with a semicircular opening on an adjacent color wedge to form a number block hole sized and shaped to contain a number block; a first scale, the first scale comprising arabic numerals disposed near and outside the perimeter of the circle; a second scale, the second scale comprising roman numerals disposed near and inside the perimeter of the circle; and twelve different color names, the color names disposed near and inside the perimeter of the circle, each color name corresponding to the color of a different color wedge.
5. A method for familiarizing a person with the appearance and operation of an analog clock, comprising: positioning removable wedges with attached knobs to simulate a clock face; placing removable number blocks within number block holes disposed within the clock face; rotating an hour pointer to indicate a selected of day; rotating a minute pointer until the minute pointer contacts a first knob; removing the wedge to which the first knob is attached; rotating the minute pointer until the minute pointer contacts a second knob; replacing the wedge aft ached to the first knob.
6. A method for familiarizing a person with the appearance and operation of an analog clock as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each number block displays a different clock face number from one to twelve and is placed in a number block hole corresponding to the correct clock face position for the displayed clock face number.
7. A method for familiarizing a person with the appearance and operation of an analog clock as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each removable wedge displays a different color and is positioned adjacent to a corresponding color name.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 9, 2005
March 31, 2009
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